August has come to a close and the past three weekends have found me out of town. I went to Busan, the second largest city in Korea on August 12th and 13th. It is on the southeast coast of the country and is famous for its beaches, most notably Haeundae beach, the most popular beach in all of Korea. When we went there it was packed full of people, as August is the summer holiday period when many families take three-seven day vacations. It was a hot and humid afternoon and I was looking forward to a dip in the sea. But after putting just one foot in the water I found that in spite of it being August it was freezing cold. I refused to allow myself to be a complete wimp so I got in up to my knees and splashed my arms and face with the salty water. Although it was refreshing, it didn't invite further swimming, so I opted to go back to the mat, lie under the umbrella, and allow my face to be kissed by the gentle breeze.
The most wonderful part of the trip to Busan was our accomodations. We stayed at Vesta, a 24-hour spa, also known as jijimjilbang. Many Koreans stay in them because they are cheap and are all over the country. You check in any time, and for 9,700 won ($9.70) You have access to the spa facilities which include hot and cold pools, jacuzzis, and waterfall showers. There are separate spa rooms for men and women, and everyone disrobes and uses the facilities freely. I have to admit that I felt a little bit awkward and nervous about that at first, but when I got into the locker room and saw that everyone else was doing it, it was no big deal, and seemed really natural. There were a few moments though when I felt a few eyes looking at my shape, which is drastically different from most Asian women, since I have full hips and a shapely butt. This made me slightly uncomfortable, but I felt the best thing to do was just find a pool and jump in. It was soothing and purifying and when I was finished, I donned the shorts and t-shirt they give you and found a space on the floor, grabbed a mat, and fell asleep. The whole evening was refreshing and rejuvenating and I would definitely do it again.
On August 20 I went to Yongyeonsa Temple with my friend Jackie and her family. It's about twenty minutes from Daegu and is located in the woods, near a cold rocky stream where toads hopped and butterflies flitted in the air. Jackie's five-year-old daughter Eugene enjoyed chasing after them and dipping her feet in the water. We spent about an hour there looking in the different buildings in the temple complex. Afterwards, we went out to dinner and ate barbecued pork which we wrapped in lettuce leaves and ate with kimchi and soup with tofu and noodles. A nice day, but a little too hot and muggy.
On Saturday August 27 I went to Gyeongju, again with Jackie and her family. I had been wanting to go to this town since I first arrived in Korea. It is the site of the Silla Dynasty and full of temples. We only had time to go to one, Bulguksa temple. "Sa" means temple in Korean. It was teeming with Korean tourists--families with their children, and honestly, I didn't really enjoy myself. I have come to the conclusion that with the exception of a few truly spectacular ones, all temples look the same. The town itself is pretty and green, with blue skies and clean air, but the visit left something to be desired. I will go back in the fall, when the beautiful colors are abundant and I can relax without having to sweat so much.
The most wonderful part of the trip to Busan was our accomodations. We stayed at Vesta, a 24-hour spa, also known as jijimjilbang. Many Koreans stay in them because they are cheap and are all over the country. You check in any time, and for 9,700 won ($9.70) You have access to the spa facilities which include hot and cold pools, jacuzzis, and waterfall showers. There are separate spa rooms for men and women, and everyone disrobes and uses the facilities freely. I have to admit that I felt a little bit awkward and nervous about that at first, but when I got into the locker room and saw that everyone else was doing it, it was no big deal, and seemed really natural. There were a few moments though when I felt a few eyes looking at my shape, which is drastically different from most Asian women, since I have full hips and a shapely butt. This made me slightly uncomfortable, but I felt the best thing to do was just find a pool and jump in. It was soothing and purifying and when I was finished, I donned the shorts and t-shirt they give you and found a space on the floor, grabbed a mat, and fell asleep. The whole evening was refreshing and rejuvenating and I would definitely do it again.
On August 20 I went to Yongyeonsa Temple with my friend Jackie and her family. It's about twenty minutes from Daegu and is located in the woods, near a cold rocky stream where toads hopped and butterflies flitted in the air. Jackie's five-year-old daughter Eugene enjoyed chasing after them and dipping her feet in the water. We spent about an hour there looking in the different buildings in the temple complex. Afterwards, we went out to dinner and ate barbecued pork which we wrapped in lettuce leaves and ate with kimchi and soup with tofu and noodles. A nice day, but a little too hot and muggy.
On Saturday August 27 I went to Gyeongju, again with Jackie and her family. I had been wanting to go to this town since I first arrived in Korea. It is the site of the Silla Dynasty and full of temples. We only had time to go to one, Bulguksa temple. "Sa" means temple in Korean. It was teeming with Korean tourists--families with their children, and honestly, I didn't really enjoy myself. I have come to the conclusion that with the exception of a few truly spectacular ones, all temples look the same. The town itself is pretty and green, with blue skies and clean air, but the visit left something to be desired. I will go back in the fall, when the beautiful colors are abundant and I can relax without having to sweat so much.
posted by steph m at
3:25 AM
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